ParkMan

I don't see why we need to disambiguate Scout here. If you are a Scout leader and are having a conversation about Scouting, I think you just simply say "we'd like you to visit our Scout troop" or to the parent "I'd like your daughter to visit our Scout troop." Once you get beyond which set of program materials you use (BSA or GSUSA), it's really about why your troop's program is great anyways. If some parent is confused about what kind of Scout troop you have, I think you can launch into the 30 second explanation about how your troop is based on the program of the Boy Scouts of Americ

We're the largest troop in our district too. Along with being the largest comes with having a lot of experienced Scouters in out ranks. I learned along the way that the best way for our district to have better camporees was for our adults to get involved and provide some input. it's not that our adults need to organize it, but it helps us to see that the camporee is an event we want to participate in if our adults are involved in setting the agenda. I realized the hard way that a district is usually more desperate for adult help than our troop is. It's actually good for us to par

I imagine it will linger for a number of years - perhaps decades. I wish there were a way to preserve it formally, but alas do understand why not. I really have been trying to avoid a gender label so far. i.e. "Boy Scouts for Girls". If anything, I simply refer to it as Scouting and I refer to the youth as Scouts. I've actually dropped the label boys a lot internally. Instead of saying "the boys" or "the girls", I simply say "scouts" now.

Fair enough. I was thinking of this like we think of for 2 deep adult supervision while at camp. If we have 1 adult with a scout in an enclosed space, we require a second. We don't require adults at all times - just that when it there is one adult, there needs to be a second. It's not that we think there is a predator around every corner - but that if the policy is 2 deep adult leadership we ought to be in the practice of implementing that. I'm not looking to be a stickler on the required female over 21 aspect of this. Not that I want to ignore the rule, but I'm comfortable enough wi

My read is that it would be a question of whether it's enclosed or not. A station in plain view with others around you'd be fine. An enclosed structure where two male adults are alone with female youth would be a potential concern. That's my read on why we have the female over 21 rule in the first place. I do not agree with this rule - but it's how I'd read it. I'd be happy to be told I'm wrong.

Nice! I'm also saddened that we're loosing the name Boy Scouts. Along the way I realized that the BSA doesn't want to have a program for boys which girls can participate in if they want to. What they want is a program for boys & girls equally. When I realized that, I began to understand their decisions.

For now the official guidance is separate tents and separate bathroom facilities for boys & girls. You should also make sure that you're staffed in a way that two-deep adult leadership scenarios include one female leader over 21 - i.e., having two male adult camporee staff alone with a patrol of female scouts from a troop is something to avoid. Beyond that, treat the troops with girls the same as troops with boys. There's no requirements to place them in different, separated camp locations. If you combine multiple troops together in a single site, you may want to consider plac

I still think your old troop needs to learn how to develop a sense of program and own it. In my experience it's unrealistic to expect your average new parent to just "get it" about how Scouting works in a troop. They want the fun adventures of Scouting and the benefits of Scouting for their son or daughter. But, most will simply not have the frame of reference to understand how things are designed to run in a troop. My general belief is that the senior scouters in a troop need to decide how they want to implement patrol method and lead the other Scouters in making that happen. Th

That part's very true. I often think that Scouting's a lifestyle, not an activity. On the Wood Badge point though - I hear from folks regularly - "I've wanted to go for years, but I'm so busy and can't find the time." Yet, they'll find the time to go on monthly campouts and help at all kinds of other events. I 100% respect that people have priorities in their lives and attending Wood Badge may be lower down on the list than many other things. Yet, I just sometimes think that folks hear "two- three day weekends" and think "oh my goodness, there is no way I could do that." It's just tw

Ouch! Sorry to hear that. We don't have council program fees yet, but I expect to within 5 years.

There's a pretty decent background on his Wikipedia page. While it is an honor - I don't see it that way. The WOSM is asking this guy to serve as a worldwide ambassador for Scouting. Through that work, I am sure they hope to see Scouting take on even more of an identity of as a challenging outdoor program and more kids join. He's been doing the role in the UK since 2009.

Maybe it's not real - but at least they're making a push to equate Scouting with outdoor adventure. Would love to see the BSA do something similar with some well known celebs here in the US.

This matches my understanding top. The troop is doing a diligent job of following the rules as described above. If not, of course that's a problem - while there are many "shoulds" in Scouting, the adult supervision requirements as "must" rules. I get the sense that they are following the rules as required. I too think the primary issue here is an adult who would be difficult for anyone to manage. With this kind of person, perhaps an older Scoutmaster might make the adult less likely to push his agenda - but again, perhaps not. We've seen countless topics about similar adults in other

I think you have to separate membership in a troop vs. membership in the Boy Scouts of America. A troop is not a subdivision of the BSA. The troop is owned by the chartered organization. As long as membership decisions are not discriminatory, a unit can pretty much ask anyone to leave that they want to. If they feel a Scout isn't someone who they think should remain in the troop, they can ask him to leave. The council may push back, but it's not their call. The only person "up the chain" from the Troop Committee is the Chartered Organization Rep and then the Institutional Head. As l

As long as Grandpa really serving as "Supervising Scoutmaster", this seems legit to me. I gather that Grandpa is checking on decisions and making sure YPT rules are being followed. It strikes me that this is a reason the BSA has the 21 and older rule. So, as long as Grandpa is fulfilling those functions - this seems legit to me. However, to @David CO's point - I do hope the IH, COR, and CC are all on board with this. In terms of dealing with other adults, I'd want a clear statement of how this works. Asking a 30+ year old adult to follow the direction of a younger adult is fine - it

Wood Badge, like all training, simply provides the opportunity to learn more about being a leader in the BSA. There are many leaders who have never taken it that do a fantastic job. Take Wood Badge because you find it interesting, are hoping to learn some new skills, or simply just want to. Don't ever think you have to. If you want to attend - attend. If you don't want to attend - don't. It's a fun experience and in the grand scheme of things is only two weekends. It's not like you're attending college and signing away years of your life.

As Scouters, I don't think recourse here isn't to deny the kid a Scoutmaster conference. The BSA rules seem pretty clear that we as leaders cannot do that. If a Scout conducts himself outside of Scouting so poorly that his character and fitness to achieve the rank of Eagle is called into question, then I think the troop needs to ask the Scout to leave the troop. If the troop continues to allow a youth to participate in Scouting who the Scoutmaster does not believe is worthy of achieving a rank, that seems unfair to the Scout and his family. We'll allow you to participate, camp with u

My hunch is that when Scouts don't communicate it's for one of a few reasons: 1) they don't need to 2) they don't think they need to 3) they are waiting for someone else to do it What I tend to see happen is that the leader communicates decisions made and assignments. A good leader ought to be taking some notes so that he knows who is doing what. Minutes from a PLC meeting or patrol meeting end up really just being the SPL's or patrol leader's notes with some clean up. Having a Scout who's job it is to write down the same information seems like extra work with the technology we h

I think that patrol method can work with just one patrol. As I see it, the patrol method is really about the boys working together as a team as they go through Scouting. The boys learn to work as a team, set their own direction based on some high level goals, develop leadership skills making their goals happen & getting stuff done, learn to rely on others, and in the process develop some pretty great friendships. All of those things that can happen with 3 boys. So, in your troop it's not that you don't use the patrol method. Instead, you just have a troop with one patrol.

I see a scribe as something of a historical role. Now that communication is so easy, having someone dedicated to it is probably less important. Our troop committee chair sends out meeting notices and takes minutes - we've gotten away from having a recording secretary. It would seem reasonable for a patrol to do the same. What I see as important here is that the patrol operates as a self sufficient team. The patrol leader is not a den leader who organizes things for the patrol members. It's a group of Scouts who work together to accomplish things. I agree that it's beneficial to giv

It's been so long since the official knot was discontinued that I think it's the effectively like back in the old days.

I'd think this would be good for a new patrol leader to train on. Some things that come to mind are: - it would be good for them to understand the core responsibilities of a patrol in a few basic scenarios - a camping trip & a troop meeting. Just what is it that a patrol is supposed to do? - get them to work on prioritizing their patrol's goals and then work with the patrol members to accomplish them. Have them work through interruptions to get back on task. Further - I think it would be good to get them to start thinking about how leading and managing are differen

I thought it useful to go back to the Guide to Advancement.

Not sure - but I'd hope not. Unless this lawsuit is just a warning shot to remind the BSA not to try and co-opt the term Girl Scouts, I find it very hard to believe this lawsuit is really about the brand confusion. How many people really get duped into joining the wrong unit. Other than a few instances of the really clueless, do folks really accidentally sign up for Cub Scouts when they thought that they wanted Daisies or Brownies? I think this is really "West Cola" telling "East Cola" not to use the term Cola in the west. My other thought it that this has nothing to do wi

Hah - now I'm going to see the word Scouts and think Bourbon.